Blogging Against Disablism Day - 1st May 2011

1st May 2011

It is rare that on this blog that I talk about the day job, simply because this little bit of blog ville is my way of escaping. It is though quite common that I discuss the frustrations of the day job with my nearest and dearest and colleagues.

Here is one of those frustrations. Somehow, somewhere along the professional line, the health service, including pharmacy services, paid for out of the coffers of the Department of Health has stopped us from being 100% health professionals to a downward slide of health professionals and accountants. 

During the course of my professional career, I have been involved within the service of medications being blistered packed for those who require it. The pharmacy contract agrees a certain payment for items dispensed and in doing so and delivering or supplying weekly in return for weekly prescriptions from Doctors. Then, just recently, some Doctors have been issuing monthly prescriptions, which means supply needs to be made monthly. This might not be appropriate. When I challenged the case, I was given every excuse under the sun with the exception of the honest one, which is cost. As a professionals within our field we have to ensure patient safety, and this should not be cost driven.

Furthermore, not all patients that have their medication dispensed this way do so because of a disability. In some cases, it may be a memory issue, or compliance issue. In other cases it may be a reassurance factor for relatives. The bottom line is this. Regardless, we should treat patients and fellow humans as we would want ourselves to be treated or our parents. The issues of cost should not enter into the equation. 

So, that rant over.

I wrote about my Mum's link to Polio and the last effects of that disease for the One Month before Heartbreak Challenge back in February. I seriously thought that Mum would have been refused the DLA and that a verbal and paper battle would ensue, but that was not the case as Mum heard that she had been awarded the DLA. Victory, but for how long?

When I first saw the link regarding Blogging against Disablism via Twitter from @PostPolioNews I knew that I wanted in some way to take part. I shared the web posts with my Mum and we chatted about her fears for the future. Mum is fiercely independent and often refuses lifts and help on the basis that one day she will be incapable to doing those things, rather than simply accepting an offer of help from a caring daughter. Nonetheless, no matter how much Mum's stubbornness frustrates me I must respect her rights and wishes.

I don't class my Mum as disabled. She walks with a limp and has a long way to go hopefully before confined to a wheelchair. She has always limped and recently I was telling a colleague of Post Polio Syndrome, which is what my Mum has when I was asked which leg was affected. You do know, I could not remember. I felt dreadful initially, then the realism hit, that actually that limp is as much a part of Mum as her lungs or hair, and to me, Mum has this condition, but Mum is not the condition.

Disclaimer. The post above is written based upon known family history and my personal opinion. It is not written as a political post. I am happy for this post to be freely shared, however, please acknowledged me as the author.